New York City Climate Records and Averages

    New York City possesses a humid continental climate, with cold winters and hot, humid summers. The area averages 234 days with sunshine per year, and averages 58% of possible sunshine annually. January is the area's coldest month with an average temperature of 32.1 F (0.1 C). Temperatures in winter can range from 10 °F (−12 °C) to 50 °F (10 °C).  The city's coastal location ensures that winters are not as cold as inland cities on the same latitude, and daytime temperatures generally stay above freezing point. The weather during spring and autumn can change quickly, with temperature ranging from quite cool to warm, although conditions are usually mild with low humidity. Summers are typically hot and humid with a July average of 76.5 °F (24.7 °C). Nighttime conditions in New York City are often affected by the urban heat island effect, producing temperatures noticeably warmer than in surrounding locations. Temperatures exceed 90 °F (32 °C) on average of 25 days each summer and the hottest ever observed was 107 F (40 C) on July 3, 1966. New York City - LaGuardia is the warmest location in New York State with an annual average temperature of 55.0 F (13 C)

The city receives 49.7 inches (1,260 mm) of precipitation annually and is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year. Winter snowfall  averages 28 inches (71 cm), but varies considerably from year to year with snow cover usually melting within a few days. Winter rain is a common occurrence across the area. Hurricanes and tropical storms are rare in the New York City area, but have occurred to produce major weather events in the city.

Precipitation / Temperature

    Total Snowfall
  Avg. High Year Low Year 1 Day Max. >=
0.01 in.		 >=
0.10 in.		 >=
0.50 in.		 >=
1.00 in.		 Mean High Year
  in. in. - in. - in. dd/yyyy
or
yyyymmdd		 # Days # Days # Days # Days in. in. -
January 3.18 8.68 1979 0.51 1981 3.13 21/1979 11 6 2 1 6.5 27.6 1996
February 2.95 5.76 1960 0.66 2002 2.19 13/1966 10 6 2 1 8.2 29.1 2010
March 3.98 9.55 2010 0.74 2006 3.15 22/1977 11 7 3 1 4.4 18.9 1958
April 3.84 11.78 2007 0.99 1985 6.69 15/2007 11 7 3 1 0.5 8.2 1982
May 3.68 9.27 1984 0.43 1964 2.82 14/1978 11 7 3 1 - - -
June 3.51 9.88 2003 0.03 1949 4.00 21/1987 10 6 2 1 - - -
July 4.12 12.33 1975 0.56 1999 3.53 15/1997 9 6 3 1 - - -
August 4.24 16.05 1955 0.12 1995 6.40 12/1955 9 6 3 1 - - -
September 3.56 10.28 2004 0.39 2005 4.63 16/1999 8 6 2 1 - - -
October 3.41 14.67 2005 0.06 1963 4.39 12/2005 8 5 2 1 0.0 1.2 1962
November 3.61 9.92 1972 0.31 1976 4.42 08/1972 10 6 2 1 0.4 6.1 1989
December 3.65 7.70 1973 0.31 1955 2.74 11/1992 11 7 3 1 4.4 22.3 1948
                             
Annual 43.73 60.88 1975 22.17 1965 6.69 2007/04/15 120 75 29 11 24.4 52.7 1978
 
Winter 9.78 17.86 1979 4.73 2002 3.13 1979/01/21 32 19 7 2 19.1 63.8 1996
Spring 11.51 23.50 1983 5.69 1995 6.69 2007/04/15 34 21 8 3 4.9 24.6 1956
Summer 11.87 23.12 1975 4.30 1966 6.40 1955/08/12 29 19 8 3 - - -
Fall 10.58 18.94 1977 3.99 1965 4.63 1999/09/16 26 17 7 3 0.4 6.1 1989

Temperature

  Monthly Averages Daily Extremes Monthly Extremes Max. Temp. Min. Temp.
Temperatures
 in F		 Max. Min. Avg High Date of 
daily extreme
 high		 Low Date of
daily extreme
low		 Highest
Avg		 Year Lowest
Avg		 Year # Days >=
90 F		 # Days <=
32 F		 # Days <=
32 F		 # Days <=
0 F
January 38.7 26.9 32.8 72 26/1950 -3 21/1985 41.5 2006 22.3 1977 0.0 8.4 21.6 0.1
February 40.9 28.2 34.5 74 15/1949 -2 08/1963 40.8 2002 22.9 1979 0.0 5.0 18.8 0.0
March 48.6 34.7 41.7 83 13/1990 8 01/1980 48.0 2010 33.8 1960 0.0 1.1 10.5 0.0
April 60.2 44.4 52.3 94 17/2002 22 06/1982 58.0 2010 47.1 1975 0.1 0.0 0.9 0.0
May 70.3 54.0 62.1 97 20/1996 38 08/1956 69.0 1991 54.9 1967 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0
June 79.7 63.8 71.7 101 26/1952 46 11/1972 76.0 2010 65.8 1972 3.7 0.0 0.0 0.0
July 84.7 69.6 77.1 107 03/1966 56 06/1972 82.8 2010 73.2 1969 6.7 0.0 0.0 0.0
August 83.0 68.8 75.9 104 09/2001 51 29/1982 80.9 2005 72.3 1982 4.4 0.0 0.0 0.0
September 75.7 61.9 68.8 102 02/1953 42 25/1950 74.9 2005 64.4 1975 1.1 0.0 0.0 0.0
October 64.9 51.3 58.1 89 10/1949 30 24/1969 65.5 2007 52.2 1972 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
November 54.0 42.0 48.0 83 01/1950 17 29/1955 53.5 2001 42.7 1967 0.0 0.1 3.1 0.0
December 43.2 31.8 37.5 75 07/1998 -1 25/1980 45.4 2006 26.1 1989 0.0 4.1 15.2 0.0
Annual 62.0 48.1 55.0 107 1966/07/03 -3 1985/01/21 58.4 2006 52.1 1972 16.7 18.7 70.1 0.2
Winter 40.9 29.0 34.9 75 1998/12/07 -3 1985/01/21 41.7 2002 28.7 1977 0.0 17.5 55.6 0.2
Spring 59.7 44.4 52.0 97 1996/05/20 8 1980/03/01 57.4 2010 47.4 1967 0.9 1.1 11.4 0.0
Summer 82.5 67.4 74.9 107 1966/07/03 46 1972/06/11 78.0 2005 71.3 1972 14.8 0.0 0.0 0.0
Fall 64.9 51.7 58.3 102 1953/09/02 17 1955/11/29 61.9 2005 54.3 1972 1.1 0.1 3.1 0.0

 

New York State precipitation and temperature averages and extremes, precipitation and temperature data for all U.S. states and Top 10 U.S. climate extremes
Winter = Dec, Jan, and Feb Spring = Mar, Apr, and May
Summer = Jun, Jul, and Aug. Fall = Sep, Oct, and Nov 
Data period is 1948-2010, LaGuardia Aiport. Source: Western Regional Climate Center